Conveyer



May 7, 1935- H. R. PERRY ET AL 2,000,417

CONVEYER Filed June 7, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet l .fr van? e5 May 7, 1935. H. R. PERRY ET AL CON VEYER 4 sheets-Sheet 2 Y Filed June 7, 1955 weza* jarjai Perry May 7, 1935. H. R. PERRY ET A L 2,000,417

oNvEYER l Filed June 7, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 a @ge jrzvjez.; Haifa@ R Per?? May 7, 1935.

H.. R. PERRY ET AL CONVEYEH Filed June 7, .1933

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fag / v ffl W HavoZd/f j?. P54747 Patented Mayy 7, 1935 2,000,417 CONYEYER Harold R. Perry, Swarthmore, Pa., and Chester S. Jennings, Syracuse, N. Y., assignors to The Lamson Company, Syracuse, N. Y., a corpora-` tion of Massachusetts Application June 7, 1933, Serial No. 674,624.

5 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in conveyers, and more particularly in conveyers which include load supporting racks or trays and which are so constructed that the load supporting elements are at all times during their travel in planes parallel to the floor or to a common plane. AIn the copending application of Harold R. Perry filedFebruary 24, 1933, and bearing Serial No. 658,305 are disclosed various types of such 'conveyers primarily but not exclusively adapted for yuse in transporting shoes.

The objects of vthis invention reside inthe provision of a conveyer embodying a plurality of features, certain of which are set forth briefly as follows: Means for so mounting racks vbetween a pair of traveling `chains that the racks remain at all times in planes parallel to the floor ror to a selected plane; means for driving the rack carrying chains; rack and saddle assembly, the saddle being removably secured to the rack .and having openings therein suitably formed to support the articles being transported; removable plates for closing the openings in the saddles; and a portable floor rack provided with a traveling conveyer by which shoes or other articles kare supported, which rack may includev a motor by which the conveyer is driven and in addition a dryer bywhichgthe articles in the rack may be brought to orretained in the proper condition.

Other objects will appear from a consideration ofthe following description of a selected embodiment of this invention and of the drawings which form a part thereof .and in which Fig. 1 is a plan View of a conveyer embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is Ian enlarged side view of portions thereof including the driving and driven elements; i

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan View of the driving elements at one end of the conveyer; i

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional viewtaken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; i

Fig. 5 isa planview of one form of rack which embodies this invention;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the rack shown in Fig. 5 with a saddle mounted thereon; i

VFig. 7 is an end View of the rack shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken alon theline 8 8 on'Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a vportion of a saddle with an `opening therein .closedbya jliller plate;

YFig.,10 isan enlarged sectional view taken along (the line IIJ-I0 on Fig. 9; 1

`Fig.;11 is a plan View of a removableform of rack l which might beused in. this system;

Fig.. 12 is an enlarged sectional view taken along ltheline |2-l2 onFig.1l;

Fig. 13 is a plan View of another form of rack and saddle assembly;

Fig. 14 is a side elevation thereof with vparts broken away;

Fig. 15 is a side .elevation with parts broken away illustrating one form of portable oor krrack embodying this invention;

Fig. 16 is a plan view thereof; and

Fig. 17 is a side elevation with parts broken away illustrating another iforni of suchlDOIftable floor rack.

As shown in Fig. l the conveyer includes a pair of chains 2l) and 2| supported upon a frame or upright 22 and carrying between them a plurality of rack and saddle assemblies 23. The chains20 andv 2i pass around head and foot sprockets `25, ZE'and 2l, 28 respectively. The head sprocket 25 is fixed upon astub shaft 30 carried by abear# 111g block 3| mounted upon the frame and having fixed thereon a gear'32. 'I'heQheadvsprocket-Zfl is fixed upon a shaft 33 which extends across the frame and is carried by bearing blocks 34 on the frame. The shaft 33 is made up of two aligned sections joined by an adjustable coupling '35 through which the operations of the sprocketsare made uniform to insure the alignment ofthe pins on the chains as will be set forth hereinbelow.

Secured to the shaft 33 is a gearv3$ whichis in alignment with the gear 32,'is of the same diameter Aand is provided with the samelnumber of teeth. Carried by a bearingV block 3l fixed' on the frame between the blocks 3l and 34 isla stub shaft 38 to which is secured a gear 39,-the1teeth of which mesh withlthe teeth ofthe gears 32Y and 36. The stub ,shaft 38y is.connectedby.suitable means', a sprocket 4D being .here shown, Witha source of power (not shown) and ,thus through the described gearing drives ,thesprocketsz and 2,1 at a Auniform rate ofspeedin the samedirection. VThe footsprockets 246 and 28 arecarried by stub Shafts 4 l and 42 Journaled in bearing boxes 43 which are adjustably mounted on the wallsjof .theframe The upper and lowerwreaches of the chains 2D, 2l travel `rbetween thehead and foot sprockets in guide channels 41 formed .by/angle brackets 48, 49 carried bythe `frame `22y andlined withhstrips .50, A5I of 'similar materiahas shown particularly in Fig. 4. AEach chain includes pairs of side links152 spaced apart at regular intervals and by which are supported inwardly` projecting =pins 53. 4The links 52 are heavierand larger than -the links normally used, and as shown inQFig'.- ,4 -rest upon the strips 50. f

edge, and walls 06 extending along each end edge,

the walls |56 having depressions 61 therein midway their length. Projecting fromwthe underside of the rack at each corner are tongues 68 substantially rectangular in vcross section, the pair of tongues at each end being aligned in planes parallel to each other and to ,those Iof the walls 66. As shown in Figs. 5 and-6 Vof the drawings,

each rack is supported upon two pins 53 which project from the chains and enter diametrically located sockets 62. The racks are provided with four sockets, two only of which are used, depending upon the relation of the head and foot sprocketsof the chains. The bosses 0| when made are identical but 'after the sockets to be used are determined, the bosses containing the other sockets are shortened, as will be apparent from a consideration of Figs. 5 and 6, inwhich dotted lines indicate the removed portions of the shortened bosses. Referring particularly to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the bosses 6| which receive the pins 53 are, under normal conditions, practically in contact with the links 52 of the chains, that the other bosses, while they enter the guide channels and rest upon the strips 50, are appreciably spaced from the chains, and that the tongues 68 actto limit the lateral movement of the racks. The guide channels 41 terminate short of the sprocketwheels, so that the bosses 6| of the racks which follow the bosses attached to the chain are released as the racks are lowered, and since they are spaced from the chain can descend freely. Inserted in each of the apertures 64 are annular bushings 69 of rubber or other soft material,` two only of such bushings being shownin full lines in Fig. 5.

The saddle 10 is of any desired substantially rigid moldable material, a phenol condensation product, such as Bakelite, being preferred. The saddle is in the form o f a tray having a base 1| bounded by side and end walls 12 and 13 respectively and divided'by one or more partition Walls 14 intoA compartments. The walls are outwardly and upwardly curved and have depressions 15 and 16 respectively midway of their lengths. Projecting downwardly from the under side of the base1| at each corner are tongues 11. When assembled with a rack the depressions 16 rest'in the depressions 61 of the walls 66 and the tongues 11 enter the busings 69, whereby the saddle is positioned and yieldably held upon the rack. The

4articles' to be conveyed are placed in the compartments of the base 1| and, if desired, openings may be Vmade in thebase into which thev articles may be inserted.` The saddle is here shown divided into two compartments through the bases of which openings are made, dened by downwardly curved ilanges 8|. The central opening 63 in the rack is of such dimentions that it will receive the downturned iianges 8| of the openings' 80. The openings 80l may be closed by filler plates 82, the edges of which areV formed to rest upon the iianges 8|. 'I'he plates 82 may be removably securedto the saddles as by spring clips 83 attached by screws 84 to the under sides of the plates.

Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate a form of rack which is easily removable from the chains 20, 2|. Pinned or otherwise fixed to the inner Wall of each chain at denite distances apart are blocks 85. Opening into a side wall of each block is a downwardly inclined pocket 86. Projecting from the end walls of a rack 81 at diametrically opposite corners are pins 88 which enter the pockets 86.' Lugs 89 project from the other corners and travel in guide channels which also receive the blocks 85.

In place of the fixed saddles previously described other formsof movable saddles supported by the racks may be employed, as for example the carriers or containers shown in Figs. 13 and 14. The rack 90 is secured to the chains 20, 2| in any suitable manner, the means previously described for securing the rack 60 being selected for purposes of illustration. The rack 90 is merely a rectangular frame within which is swung a saddle 9|. The saddle 9| is in the form of a pan from the end walls of which stub shafts 92 project through bosses S3 upon the rack frame. The shafts 92 are preferably off center so that the weight of the saddle tends to hold it in the position shown in the drawings, tongues S4 which project from the mouth of the saddle engaging the rack and limiting the pivotal movement of the saddle in that direction. i Projecting downwardly from one or both ends of the saddle are levers 95 adaptedr to. be engaged by suitably located carriers or trips 96 to dump the contents of the saddle. By providing levers at both ends and making the levers of various lengths and mounting the cams at various heights it can be arranged so that each saddle is dumped only at certain predetermined stations.

This invention has heretofore been described as employed in transporting articles along a path of travel. It is alsol applicable for employment in a portable iioor rack, wherein a plurality of articles may be placed and moved as a unit from one location to another location. The use of oor racks is old'and well known in many industries, such as the manufacture of shoes. The racks previously employed comprise one or more stationary shelves or containers on or in which the articles are placed. As shown in Figs. 15, 16 and 1'7, the oorrack |00 comprises a bin or container open atthe top and ends are provided with a plurality of casters |0| for easy movement. Supported upon the side walls of the rack are pairs of sprockets |02, |03, alternately arranged in tiers and guide sprockets |04, |05 mounted in pairs at upper and lower planes at one open end of the rack. Passed around said sprockets are two chains |00, |01 which support betweenv them rack and saddle assemblies |08. The assemblies v|08 maybe of the construction previously described and connected at diagonally opposite corners to the chains so that at all times the assemblies remain` parallel to the iioor or to a selected plane.

In the floor rack shown in Figs. 15 and 16 the operator moves the conveyer chains manually, usually when placingrarticles on the rack and saddle assemblies. Fig. 17 shows a floor rack provided vwith a motor 0 by which the conveyer chains are positively advanced, and in addition a kblower actuated by the motor. The various sage through which the articles travel and through which the blower forces the air. The air may be heated or otherwise treated so that the articles after completing their journey are in the state or condition desired by the operator.

While certain structural features have been shown and described in detail and various em'- bodiments of the invention set forth, it will be understood that the invention is not so limited and that changes in the structural features and other embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

We claim: y

1. A conveyer comprising in combination a pair of parallel traveling chains, a frame, head and foot sprockets over which said chains travel, and means for causing said chains to move in unison, which means comprise a stub shaft on which the head sprocket of one chain is mounted. a shaft extending transversely across the frame on one end of which the head sprocket of the other chain is mounted, said shaft being of two sections joined by an adjustable coupling, aligned gears mounted upon said shafts of the same diameter and having the same number of teeth, and an intermediate gear in engagement with both said gears.

2. A conveyer comprising in combination a rack having a central opening inthe base thereof, a saddle having an opening therein which registers with the opening in the rack and in which the articles transported by the conveyer are supported, means for removably and yieldably securing said saddle to said rack, and means for engaging and advancing said rack to transport said articles.

3. A conveyer comprising in combination a rack having a central opening in the base thereof, a, saddle having an opening therein which registers with the opening in the rack and inwhich the articles transported by the conveyer are supported, said rack having in its base a plurality of aperture-s, and said saddle having tongues which, when said rack and saddle are assembled, enter said apertures to position the saddle on the rack, and means for engaging and advancing said rack to transport said articles.

4. A conveyer comprising in combination a rack having a central opening in the base thereof, a saddle having an opening therein which registers with the opening in the rack and in which the articles ltransported by the conveyer are supported, said rack having in its base a plurality of apertures, annular bushings in said apertures, said saddle having tongues which, when said rack and saddle are assembled, enter the bushings in said apertures to secure the saddle in position on the rack, and means for engaging and advancing said rack to transport said articles.

y 5. A conveyer comprising in combination a rack having a central opening in `the base thereof, a saddle having an opening therein which registers with the opening in the rack and in which the articles transported by the conveyer are supported, means for removably and yieldably securing said saddle to said rack, means for closing the opening in said saddle, and-means for engaging and advancing ysaid rack to' transport said articles.

HAROLD R. PERRY. CHESTER S. JENNINGS. 

